Wagon-brake.



PATENTED APR. 3, 1906.

G. L ADAMS. WAGON BRAKE.

APPLIUATIONVPILBD 00T. 7. 1905.

QQ: E w ww KQ NHHHHIII HHHHIIIII I GILBERT L. ADAMS, OF ALTOONA, PENNSYLVANIA.

WAGON-BRAKE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented .April 3, 1906.

Application filed October '7, 1905. Serial Nov 281,764.

To all whom, t may concern:

Be it known that I, GILBERT L. ADAMS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Altoona, in the county of Blair and State of Pennsylvania, have invented. certain new and useful Improvements in Wagon-Brakes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to that type of Wagonbrakes controlled. by the operator from the front of the vehicle and comprising means for moving a pair of brake-shoes into frictional contact with the tires of opposite wheels of the vehicle.

To this end the invention has in view a simple and practical construction of brake embodying new and effective means for supporting the brake-rod and also for positioning the fulcrum thereof, whereby a powerful leverage may be obtained in the braking action.

A further object of the invention is to provide a construction and arrangement of parts which permits the employment of a straight brake-rod, so that the latter can be made of a rod or pipe section.

With these and other objects in view, which will more readily appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the novel construction, combination, and arrangement of parts, hereinafter fully described, illustrated, and claimed.

The essential features of the invention involved in carrying out the objects above specliied are susceptible to structural change without departing from the scope thereof; but a preferred embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of a wagonbrake constructed in accordance with the present invention and shown applied to a wagon-body, said view illustrating the position assumed by the parts as they would apear when the vehicle is loaded, thereby ringing the center of the shoes into the horizontal plane of the axle. Fig. 2 is a front end view of the brake and vehicle parts shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a detail view of one of the hanger-links for the brake-rod. Fig. 4 is a detail fragmentary view showing the preferable connection between the fulcrum-rods and the vehicle-axle. Fig. 5 is a detail in front and side elevation of a modified form. ofhanger-link for the brake-rod. Fig. 6 is a similar view showing a foot-lever attaclnnen for operating the brake.

Like references designate corresponding parts in the several gures of the drawings.

In carrying out thepresent invention one of the distinctive features thereof resides in the employment of a horizontally-swinging brake-rod l, which may consist of a straight section of rod or piping and designed to be pivotally suspended beneath and from the vehicle-body B through the medium of a pair of oppositely-arranged swinging hanger-links 2. The hanger-links 2 are arranged, respectively, at or near opposite sides of the vehicle-body, and each of the same is preferably in the form of an open loop 3, pivotally secured at its upper end, as at 1, to the bottom of the vehicle-body by means of a bearingclip 5, bolted or otherwise suitably fastened to the bottom ofthe vehicle-body. Each of the open loops 3, constituting a hanger-link, preferably has fastened to the lower swinging end thereof a rod-holding stirrup 6,.which tightly embraces the brake-rod 1, and thereby provides for a swinging support for the latter from and beneath the vehicle-body. While in the preferable construction the rodholding stirrup 6 is a separate piece fastened to the loop portion 3, said stirrup may consist of an integral eye 6a, provided at the lower ends of the loop members 3, as shown in the modification illustrated in Fig. 5 of the drawings.

The brake-rod 1 has `fitted to the opposite ends thereof the shoe-irons 7, carrying the brake-shoes 8, adapted to be clamped upon the vehicle-wheels W, which are mounted on the usual axle A. To provide for moving the brake-rod with its shoes 8 toward and from the wheels W, the invention contemplates the employment of swinging brakinglevers 9, arranged at opposite sides ofthe vehicle-bodv and mounted at their lower ends, as at 10, directly upon the brake-rod between the hanger-links and the brake-shoes. These braking-levers 9 at a point above the brakerod are pivotally and adjustably mounted, as at 11, in the bifurcated front ends 12 of fulcrum-rods 13, whose rear ends are likewise bifurcated, as at 14, and bolted or otherwise suitably fastened to supporting-plates 15, carried by axle-clips 16, readily embracing the vehicle-axle A.

The front bifurcated ends of the fulcrum- IOO rods 13 are provided with a series of boltholes 14, which provide for the adjustable mounting of the levers 9 to compensate for wear in the brake-shoes.

The upper ends of the braking-levers 9 have pivotally connected thereto, as at 17, the rear ends of the side pull-rods 18. The front ends of these rods are pivoted, as at 19, to the hanger-arms 20 at the ends of a controlling-shaft 21, arranged transversely of the vehicle-body and mounted in bearings 22 carried thereby.

When the device is used as a hand-brake, one of the `crank-arms 20 is extended into a hand-lever 23, which coperates with the usual locking-segment. (N ot shown.) The brake may be readily converted into a footoperated brake by employing a foot or tread lever 24, applied to the controlling-shaft 21, as shown in Fig. 6 of the drawings.

From the foregoing itis thought that the construction, operation, and advantages of the herein-described brake will be apparent Without further description.

Having thus described my invention, what is claimed, and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, :is-

A Wagon-brake comprising a pair of swinging hanger-links pivotally suspended from the bottom of the vehicle-body and each carrying a rod-holding stirrup, a straight horizontally-swinging brake-rod embraced by said stirrups, axle-clips having supporting-plates, forwardly-extending ulcrum-rods fastened at their rear ends to said supporting-plates and provided with biurcated front ends, upstanding swinging braking-levers fitted at their lower ends on the brake-rod, and at an intermediate point pivotally and adjustably mounted in the bii'urcated front ends oi' the fulcrum-rods, and lever-controlled side pullrods connectedntothe upper ends of the braking-levers.

In testimony whereof I ailix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

GILBERT L. ADAMS.

Witnesses:

CHAs. I-I. MORGAN.

J. F. CLARK. 

